Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice with a touch of lemon grass, lemon, curry leaves and mustard seeds.

3 tbsp oil
2 stalks  lemon grass
3 to 4 stalks curry patta
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 1/2 cup rice
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
1/3 cup  fresh lemon or lime juice + 2/3rd cup water

Heat the oil, sizzle the lemon grass, curry patta, mustard seeds, salt and turmeric. Wash the rice and add it to the pot. Add 4 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and allow all the water to evaporate. Add  the 1/3 cup juice+ 2/3 rd cup water. Shake the pan and cover the pot. Leave to steam for 20 minutes until it is cooked  through.

Tips
Do not add the lemon before all the water has evaporated. It can leave some of the grains of rice hard. 
Depending on what you are serving it change the flavours. 
For a Thai curry use kaffir lime leaves instead of curry patta.
Use saffron instead of turmeric if you desire, or use a bit of both.

Serve this with the aromatic korma or a yogurt kudhee. It tastes delicious with chicken curry and with Persian khoresh. The choices are umpteen.


Read more about Parsi food its history, traditions and stories in my cookbooks The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders and The Art of Parsi Cooking;reviving an ancient cuisine.


Niloufer's Kitchen : Persian Fusion from read.amazon.com


Photo courtesy Kainaaz R. Patell

Samosa

Samosa

Originating in Central Asia, there are many many variations of the word Samosa/samoosa, sambhusa, samsas. Derived from the Persian word "sanbosag", legend has it they were first prepared in the Middle Eastern Region. 

As it spread to every country in the region, its influence was felt as far west as Portugal (thanks to them being the colonisers in Goa, India). 
From fillings of meat being popular in Northern India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, to the commonplace potato-pea mix in the vegetarian states of India, it is one of the most versatile snack foods in the Asian world. While the ancient civilisation referred to as the area of the Levant, i.e. Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, like to fill their filo samosa with cheese and herbs, often changing the shape to cigars rather than triangles, the Central Asian states of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan prepare it with a bread-like dough instead. This dough-filled delicacy is baked in a hot tandoor and not fried like the samosa as we know it. Larger samoosas with a very thick, crisp fried casing are called kachori and are native to India. 

Deep fried samosas are the most commonly found and generally appear in two sizes; cocktail and regular. They are wrapped in thin filo-like wrappers which are specially prepared for samosa and available in most Indian stores. With the food world becoming closer than ever before and fusion food being the norm, it is left to one's imagination to enjoy a favourite combination of choice. Supermarket shelves across the globe are stocked full of prepared frozen samosas of all sorts. 

I am going to share a recipe that is my version of something I enjoyed while I was residing in Dubai. It is a fusion samosa of spices, chillies, and cheese, with or without chicken. I hope you enjoy them too!

Samosas with a thin crispy wrapping freshly fried

Approximately 36 to 48 samosas

Filling
Mix together in a bowl

1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
12 finely chopped green chillies
1 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cream/milk to bind everything together

Optionally
1 cup cooked diced chicken 
add a few fresh mint leaves, 
dry red chilli flakes or ground black pepper. 

Mix it all together to make a big lump. Fill 1 generous tsp in each samosa patti (a wrap to wrap the samosa in); this can be found at your local Indian store. 
Repeat and prepare the rest of them. Place it in the refrigerator until ready to fry. 

Heat the oil to approximately boiling point 175-190 C | 350-375 F and deep fry three at a time. It will take about 2 minutes per batch. Place the fried samosas on white kitchen paper to drain. 

Serve immediately. You may enjoy some tamarind and date chutney or green coconut chutney to dip them in. 

Tips

If you prefer to make meat samosas, try the kheema recipe in The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders- Ensure all of the liquid has evaporated before you fill the samosa. Leftovers from the Parsi Lagun nu stew(also in this cookbook) is a vegetarian option that is simply delicious. 

If the samosas are not tightly sealed, the filling will leak and the oil will start burning. 

To deep fry, the oil must be at the correct temperature. If its cool you will get oily samosas, if its too hot you will get them burnt ones.  

                                                                Zoom demo 2021

You can freeze the samosas if you wish. While frying them, make sure that they are not wet or sweaty. To avoid that, open up the packet and allow it to air dry or lightly pat it dry with a dish towel.

For more fun recipes including a minced meat that can be filled in samosas click
Niloufer's Kitchen: Quick and Easy from read.amazon.com

Green Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney



The key to a perfect green coconut chutney is the balance of the Holy Trinity of Parsi Cooking, Tikkhu-Khattu-Mitthu ( spicy-sour-sweet). It is easy to prepare and is used in many dishes like the Patra ni Machi, Chutney and Fish Pastry Roll, Ribbon Rice, sandwiches, and many more recipes. 

Enjoy my version from Niloufer's Kitchen.

Makes approximately 2 cups of chutney.

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 ½ cups of coriander leaves; tightly packed 

2 tbsp jaggery

6 green chillies

½ tsp salt

¼ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 unripe, peeled mangoes

10 fresh mint leaves

In an electric grinder/food processor or blender; grind till fine and smooth the desiccated coconut. Then add the rest of the ingredients in order: green chillies, salt, coriander leaves, salt, diced mangoes, mint leaves, and lemon juice. Taste for the salt, the heat from the chillies, the sourness and the sweetness. Balance must be perfect to suit your palate. 

Tips

Prepare ahead of time and freeze. It will stay for up to one month.
Defrost it for 24 hours in your fridge. 
The texture of the chutney must be as smooth as possible. This will depend on your grinder and the coconut. 

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself via email, in independent book stores across the world and on Amazon India.

The Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and Beyond is an award winning book. It has been self published in June 2024. Email at theroutetoparsicooking@gmail.com

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

For more recipes
Niloufer's Kitchen Quick and Easy available from read.amazon.com

Chutney Fish Pastry Roll.

Chutney ni Maachi | Chutney and Fish in Pastry Roll

Who would have thought that Parsi cuisine includes French puff pastry as a favourite way to serve seafood, poultry, kheema, nihari, and other dishes? 

This recipe combines eastern and western culinary traditions by preparing patra ni machi in a puff pastry. it is a charming mix, interconnecting us through stories about food.

It makes a wonderful party dish, tangy and spicy with the crunch of the pastry, it is delightful. You can prepare it individually in vol-au-vents or in an elongated pastry roll. Prepare it ahead of time, but it must be freshly baked. It is not advisable to reheat.

Trivia: puff pastry is believed to have originated in ancient Greece but was perfected by the French in the 17th century and is considered French. They call it pâte feuilletée which means "layered dough".  

As individual servings, open style?

Perfect for larger groups at a buffet table,
(This roll has not been overturned. hence the seam is visible)

 

Serves 6

1 large sheet of pastry dough approximately 13" x 9" or 33 cm x 22 cm 

Preparing and Poaching Fish

For 1/2 kg |1.1 lb fillet of fish, thick fish works easier.

Apply a mix of 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp vinegar all over it.

Poach the fish for a minute or two in

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small onion, chopped

1 slit green chilli

1 small tomato, chopped

 Remove the fish from the water and flake it into large pieces, then set aside.

The Tomato Sauce

1/4 cup of the fish liquid

1 tbsp salted butter

1 tbsp flour

1/2 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon chilli powder

Mix this well and cook it on the stove top till it comes to a boil. Allow this to boil for a full minute to ensure the flour is cooked through. It should be thick and shiny. Yet, it's soft enough to apply over the fish.

 

 

 

Coconut Chutney 

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 ½ cups of fresh coriander; packed tightly

2 tbsp jaggery

6 green chillies

½ tsp salt

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 green peeled mangoes

10 fresh mint leaves 

Grind the coconut until fine. With the machine running add the rest of the ingredients - preferably in the order listed. Taste for the tikkhu-khattu-mitthu balance.  

 

Assembling the Puff Pastry 

Roll out 450 g/ 1.1 lb of puff pastry on a parchment paper. 

Leaving an inch or two all around the pastry, apply the chutney over the pastry. Place the fish in the centre lengthwise and pour the tomato sauce over the fish part only. Then fold the short sides of the pastry on to the fish, next take the bottom part of the pastry over the fish, and lastly, bring down the top of the pastry just over the bottom part of the pastry to seal and fold properly.

Gently push it over to turn the "seam side" down. Make a slit on top and glaze the top portion going down the sides. It can be any of the 3 methods: an egg wash, plain milk, or a spoonful of left-over cream. Place the parchment paper with the roll on a large baking tray.

Preheat the oven and bake at 200 °C | 400 °F for 35 minutes, or until cooked and golden brown. This is best served freshly baked from the oven.

Tips 

Do not overcook the fish while poaching. This is just to ensure the fish does not remain raw and helps to flake it into pieces to fill the puff pastry. The vinegar helps keep the fish firm, and the rest of the ingredients in the poaching water give it a taste to avoid the fish tasting like "boiled" fish. While this is the traditional way of preparing this dish, you can skip the poaching step altogether and use fresh raw fish instead. 

Slice it with a pizza cutter for clean cutting.

Keeping a piece of parchment paper at the bottom makes it simpler to handle before and after baking. It will easily slide onto your platter to serve.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself via email, in independent book stores across the world and on Amazon India.

The Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and Beyond is an award winning book. It has been self published in June 2024. Email at theroutetoparsicooking@gmail.com

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

photo courtesy

Kainaaz R Patell

Yazad Parakh

Niloufer Mavalvala

Fish Curry ~ Parsi Food

• Parsi Fish Curry

• Parsi food adores curries, particularly those with fish or prawns. Traditionally, it must be prepared with bone-in fish. Adding the whole fish is my personal favourite, as it adds to the flavour. The Western world, however, tends to eat fish fillets, and many are squeamish when served with a whole fish! Here I share my curry recipe with salmon fillets.

Smooth, deep and delicious the Parsi fish curry is hard to beat!

Serves 6 people

• 1kg/2.2 lbs fish
• 1 cup desiccated or freshly scraped Coconut
• 6 large flat dry red chillies
• 1 whole pod of fresh peeled garlic
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 12 curry patta/ leaves
• 2  slit green chillies
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh tomato puree
•  1 tsp tamarind paste or kokum paste

• Grind together until fine, the coconut and red chillies. Now add the onion, garlic, sugar, salt and the coriander and cumin powders with the vinegar to make into a paste.

•  In a pan heat a tsp of oil and add turmeric curry patta/ leaves and the green chillies.

• Gently stir for a minute and add the curry paste. 

• Now add the water. Mix well, bring it to a boil, cover. Lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Now add the fresh pureed tomatoes and the tamarind or kokum. Cover again and cook for another 30 minutes on a very low steam. 

• Add the fish and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Cover and close the stove. Let it rest for 10 minutes and serve with freshly boiled steaming hot rice.

• Tips

• Substitute 1 cup of coconut water for water if you wish. 
• If you cannot get tamarind or kokum use the juice of one fresh lemon or lime.
• 2 tsp of chilli powder equals the 6 large flat dry chillies, however the chillies do give the colour and flavour.
• Add 1/2 cup of coconut milk to make it creamier.

• My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on Amazon.

  The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

  The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

  Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala 

Comments
31st July 2018
A favourite made with Prawn/Shrimp

Fish Roe ~ Gharab

Gharab or Fish Roe

A delicacy like the caviar of the Beluga and its various species, fish roe is the eggs of all other fish in its casing. An acquired taste it is cooked in many ways. Parsi food tends to add it to their Patia, or pickle it for longer shelf life. Keeping it simple here, I have fried it with a few spices. 

This is a pair of Cod Fish Roe. Snipped at the very top of the two pieces where they were attached.

Sliced fish roe, cooked and ready to eat. Its soft and delicious.

2 Large  fresh fish Roe
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chillie powder
1/2 tsp salt

Wash the roe and  toss in a large bowl. Toss with the spices until it is evenly applied. 
Heat a large skillet with 3 tbsp oil. Once the oil is nice and hot place each piece of roe and cook for 5 minutes on each side. keep the flame on medium once the oil is heated and the roe is placed in. Turn only once and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Cover the pan, lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes until cooked through. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice while warm. Serve immediately.

Tips
Generally fish roe is sold in "pairs" and joined at one end. Carefully snip it into two being careful to ensure the grains dont start falling out while washing. Cut after you have washed the roe.
The fish roe must be at room temperature when you start to fry. Otherwise it will not cook evenly and start hardening up due to the shock of the cold and hot.
The oil must be hot before you place the fish roe in the pan or the skin will come out oily and not crisp.
You can rub the spices on the fish with your hands but your nails will become yellow and your hands may burn! But the result will be even spices everywhere.
In India and perhaps many other parts of the world you get many sizes and variety of fish roe dependent on the size of the fish. Some skin is thinner than others and it can burst while frying.

Fish roe is eaten as a delicacy and served as a side with other foods. It is also often pickled and savoured over a longer period of time.


For more Parsi cuisine  recipes click
Niloufer's Kitchen: Quick and Easy